


In Which Shikamaru Saves Kiba From His Own Recklessness

by Kunoichirin



Series: In Which [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Short Drabbles, i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:48:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23492716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kunoichirin/pseuds/Kunoichirin
Summary: In which Shikamaru saves Kiba from his own recklessness. Several times. And they're the only two who don't realize they're in love (Other than Naruto, but he's always oblivious).
Relationships: Inuzuka Kiba/Nara Shikamaru
Series: In Which [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1724617
Comments: 3
Kudos: 61





	1. Rookie Mistake

"How the hell did you get stuck in a tree?"

Kiba tugged at his ankle, but it wouldn't budge. He'd hoped he could get free before anyone came along, but Shikamaru just _had_ to walk by before he could. And now Kiba was hanging from a tree like an idiot.

"You say that like I did it on purpose!" Kiba pouted, crossing his arm as he swayed a little. "I was just training, and my foot got stuck! I can't be the only one it happens to! An _he's_ no help!" He pointed at Akamaru, who was laying in a ray of sunlight.

"That's a mistake many people made in the academy," Shikamaru nodded. "But you're a full-fledged ninja. You should know to be careful by now. If I had anything better to do, I wouldn't be offering to help. It's such a drag."

"Well just hurry up and cut me loose, before someone else comes by sees me like this! I have a reputation to uphold!" Kiba growled.

"Your reputation wouldn't be hurt by this. Maybe your ego, but you do stupid things like this all the time." Shikamaru reminded him. "Such as that one time you nearly jumped off a cliff because you didn't look down. Or when you got your arm stuck in a gopher hole."

"You don't have to remind me!" Kiba barked, flailing his arms. "I'm starting to get dizzy up here from all the blood rushing to my head, so if I die, it's going to be your fault!"

"Or your own, because of your stupidity." Shikamaru muttered under his breath as he started to pull himself onto the branch Kiba's ankle was stuck in. It had to forks, and he managed to get stuck in the tightest part of it. "What a drag."

"Hurry it up already! I'm not getting any younger down here!" Kiba shouted at him. Shikamaru nudged his ankle and he winced. "Yeah... I think I twisted it."

An idea came to Shikamaru's mind. "Hold still, and try not to scream."

"What-" Without any further hesitation, Shikamaru shoved Kiba's ankle as hard as he could with his hands. Kiba shrieked as pain shot through his ankle. "OW! What the hell!?"

"I said _don't_ scream. I thought you were the one who didn't want attention drawn to you." Shikamaru frowned and examined the branch and his ankle. "Yeah, it didn't even budge. How did you get this stuck by tripping?"

"Sh-shut up!" Kiba stammered, his face red from both embarrassment, and the blood that was rushing to his head. 

"Okay, prepare yourself. Bite your tongue if you need to." Shikamaru warned him. Kiba nodded and braced himself. Giving another hard shove, Kiba's ankle loosened just a little. Kiba bit down hard on his tongue to keep from screaming again. "I'm going to need you to hold as still as possible." 

"...Why?" Kiba asked suspiciously, watching Shikamaru take out a kunai.

"If you don't want me to accidentally cut you, then you'll do as I say." Shikamaru stated firmly, then carefully positioned the kunai between the part where the branch splits two ways and Kiba's ankle. He slowly started sawing at the branch, careful not to let the blade touch Kiba.

Kiba was silent for once, praying Shikamaru knew what he was doing. As he surveyed the area, he noticed Naruto and Sakura approaching in the distance. A little panicked now, he looked up at Shikamaru, who was deep in concentration. "Could you go a little faster? People are coming!" Shikamaru gave him an irritated expression and sped up the process. He cut Kiba each time he moved the kunai. "Ow! Ow, ow, ow, okay stop!"

Shikamaru looked down at him innocently. "You're the one who told me to go faster."

"I don't know if you're doing it on purpose, but my ankle is bleeding down my leg, and I can feel it." Kida shuddered. "It feels like there's a bug crawling on me."

"Oh, there is." Shikamaru shrugged. "I didn't think you'd mind the giant spider."

"WHAT!?" Kiba exclaimed, his voice a higher pitch. "Get it off, get it off!!"

Shikamaru covered his mouth to hide his snickering. "I'm only kidding, Kiba. Don't worry, it _is_ only blood."

"You're cruel." Kiba grumbled. "I get the point; just get the job down without making it worse."

"Alright then. I need you to stop shaking." Shikamaru pointed out tapping Kiba's foot.

"I can't help it! I'm dying down here!" Kiba protested. "I can hardly think!"

"That's nothing new." Shikamaru teased, continuing to slowly saw at the wood.

"Ha ha, laugh it up Nara." Kiba growled. "When I get down, I'm going to kill you."

"Is that the thanks I get for helping you?" Shikamaru cocked an eyebrow at him.

It was about then that Naruto and Sakura started walking by. Sakura glanced over, then did a double take and looked from Kiba to Shikamaru with a confused expression.

"Whaaat are you two doing?" Sakura asked her eyes narrowing in confusion. Naruto looked at the pair next to her.

"Dog boy here got his foot stuck." Shikamaru shrugged. "What's it look like?"

"Haha, what an idiot!" Naruto laughed, receiving an elbow to the stomach.

_Crack_

Shikamaru paused. "Did anyone else just hear a-" His eyes widened as the branch he was crouched on snapped, and both he and Kiba crashed to the ground.

Naruto burst out laughing, as Sakura rushed over to make sure they were okay. Kiba kicked off the rest of the branch and looked down at Shikamaru, who was below him with a look of agony on his face.

"What the- how'd you get below me!?" Kiba gasped.

"I switched our position midair- ack!- so you'd have a soft landing." Shikamaru strained to say, gritting his teeth. "Get off, you're crushing my spleen." As Kiba rolled off, Shikamaru cried out, and curled into a ball covering his crotch area.

"Aah! I'm so sorry, are you okay!?" Kiba exclaimed. Shikamaru stayed curled up for about a minute longer, then nodded curtly. "Are you sure?" Shikamaru slowly sat up, then stared intently at Kiba for a good long awkward moment. "Wh-what?"

"Show me your ankle." He said simply. Kiba blinked at him, then remembered the entire reason they were in this situation in the first place. He slowly moved it out from under him, wincing a couple times as he moved it.

"How'd you end up stuck in the first place?" Sakura asked with her scolding tone. "You're a full-fledged ninja! You shouldn't be making these mistakes."

Kiba chuckled, and scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Shikamaru said the same thing a few minutes ago." He winced as something touched his ankle. He looked down to see Shikamaru carefully examining it, before taking out a roll of bandages and medical tape.

"Hold still." He said, and Kiba immediately obeyed. Shikamaru gently compared the size the bandage needed to be to his heel, then ripped off the part with his teeth. Kiba expected pain to return, but relaxed as Shikamaru applied the bandage with a gentle touch. "Didn't mean to cut you. Sorry."

"It's fine, I'm the one who told you to hurry up." Kiba shrugged, putting a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder and smiling reassuringly. "You've nothing to be sorry for."

The two then noticed how intently Sakura was staring at them, a surprised and almost excited look in her eyes. "Do you need something, or are you staring at us for no reason?" Shikamaru asked.

"Oh! My bad." Sakura grinned sheepishly. "Just... noticed something."

Shikamaru sighed. "Women are so troublesome."

Sakura's eye twitched. "What was that?" She readied her fist, but Naruto brought her attention somewhere else.

"Hey Sasuke!" He hollered. The raven-haired boy glanced over, and scoffed.

"You two go fawn over that guy somewhere else." Shikamaru told them with an edge of irritation. The two didn't seem to hear him as they ran off to meet up with him. His attention turned back to Kiba. "Your ankle is starting to swell. I suggest lying down with it elevated to about your chest level, and putting ice on it. Try not to put weight on it."

"What are you, a medic ninja?" Kiba questioned, smirking a bit.

"When you read, you pick up a thing or two." Shikamaru shrugged. "You should try it sometime." An awkward pause transferred between them. "I can, uh, help you back to your place, if you'd like."

Kiba wasn't sure why his cheeks flushed when he said that, but something about it was cute. Especially the way he turned his head away to avoid eye contact. "S-sure, that'd be fine." 

Finishing wrapping the bandages around Kiba's ankle, Shikamaru neatly tied it so it wouldn't fall off. He stood, and offered a hand to Kiba. Kiba took it, and hoisted himself onto his good foot. Akamaru got up from the spot of sunlight and jumped into Kiba's arms, then snuggled in his jacket.

Shikamaru then turned around and stuck his arms out behind him. "Okay, now get on."

"W-wait, what?" Kiba blushed, laughing nervously. "That's a little... um..."

He looked at him over his shoulder. "I'm only going to do this once. It doesn't have to be weird if you don't make it weird." Kiba swallowed hard, but urged himself to hop onto Shikamaru's back and get this over with. 

It felt really awkward to do, so Kiba hid his face in the back of Shikamaru's neck as the walked through the village. Intense embarrassment filled Kiba the further they walked. He could feel people's eyes on them, and it made him feel insecure an small. It had to be weird seeing two thirteen year old boys like this.

They walked in silence the whole time. Shikamaru probably guessed he didn't want to talk because of the fact that he was hiding his face. Kiba's ego was being chipped away slowly with every step they took.

There were a few times when Shikamaru paused and shivered, and they started growing more frequent. Finally they stopped, and Shikamaru looked back at him with a faint red on his cheeks.

"Could you stop breathing down my neck?" He asked. "It tickles."

Kiba smirked a little as they continued. He blew a gentle gust of wind against Shikamaru's neck, causing him to squeak. He glared over his shoulder.

"Keep doing that, and I'll just leave here." Shikamaru warned.

Kiba chuckled lightly. "Aw, sensitive?" The red was growing a little deeper. "Never would've thought you'd be, Shikamaru. How cute." Shikamaru shivered again, and growled a bit. "What? I touch a sore subject?"

"Just shut it before I decide to leave you on the side of the road." He grumbled. Kiba snickered, but didn't push his luck any further.

Inuzuka territory wasn't very far from here, and Kiba started imagining the embarrassment he'd go through if his relatives saw him on the back of another dude, much less Shikamaru Nara.

He used to talk about Shikamaru in the academy all the time, whether it was to complain about how great he was, or admiring him. He wasn't sure what it was; his infatuation with Shikamaru.

His scent was one that Kiba had grown to memorize. It was a little musky, but he also smelled fresh, like a grassy field. He really, really liked it, and he wasn't sure why.

"Want me to just drop you here?" Shikamaru asked. They were very close to Inuzuka territory, and Kiba was sure he'd be fine.

"Yeah, thanks." He slid off his back and started limping froward. Shikamaru watched him for a moment.

"Actually... you look like you need a little help." He put Kiba's arm around his shoulders. "You can lean on me if you need to."

Kiba limped forward with a little less difficulty thanks to Shikamaru, but was still nervous about showing up to his territory with him. His ma would probably bug him about it for weeks to come. And his sister would probably be worse.

But oh well. He could worry about that later. Right now, he had to focus on limping home, alongside Shikamaru.


	2. Unwanted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They'd just completed a mission, but as they pass through a village in the Land of Stone, they notice everyone seems to hate Kiba. Shikamaru ends up having to save his tail from a bunch of bounty hunters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the same village that they visited in the episode 'Bounty Hunter From The Wilderness', if I remember correctly. You know, the one with the dude who was framed for killing some people someone else did. Sazanami, or something like that.

They were on their way to a mountain pass that would lead them back into Fire Country. Good thing, too. Shikamaru's was happy to be returning home after being gone for almost two weeks. 

Their mission had been to catch a wanted thief who's criminal criminal record said that he was a very skilled thief. They'd caught him rather easily because he tried to pickpocket Kiba, and Akamaru bit him. 

_They never suspect the_ _child._ Shikamaru thought with a smirk. He'd predicted they would seem like easy targets due to their age. But they hand many tricks up their sleeves. And a dog in Kiba's jacket.

So they'd turned him in, and the police thanked them; they'd been searching for him for months. So they'd been given the reward money, and were on their way home.

"That's funny." Shikamaru said, looking down the hill. "I didn't know there was a town around here." He glanced over at Kiba, who was glowering. "Uh... are you quite alright?"

" _I_ knew there was a town here. We passed through here on a mission a little like our current one. Except the thief had also commit murder, and he was tougher to catch." Kiba told him. "Be careful. The people here aren't exactly friendly."

"Good to know." Shikamaru sighed. "We could go around it, if that'd be easier for you."

"Yeah, but that'd take longer." Kiba replied. "We just need to go through. It's not like they'll just stop us to pick a fight."

Shikamaru gave him a side eye. "I swear, if you just jinxed us-"

"Oh, calm down." Kiba rolled his eyes. "Even if they do, we'll be fine. After all, we're shinobi of the Leaf! We've been through much worse."

"If we get stopped by these ruffians, I'm blaming you." Shikamaru growled as they continued on.

"Well, that'd make sense." Kiba shrugged. "After all, they and I aren't exactly simpatico at the moment, so I'll take the blame."

"I don't want to drag your beaten ass back home." Shikamaru said. "So keep your guard up."

Kiba snorted. "Um, dog-like senses? Who do you think you're talking to? Naruto?"

Now it was Shikamaru's turn to laugh. "Yeah, he might be more reckless than you." He paused. "But only maybe. You're pretty reckless."

"What?! No I'm not!"

"We're approaching the village." Shikamaru continued, ignoring Kiba's protest. "So close your mouth and keep your eyes forward."

Akamaru growled a bit as they walked through the entrance, moving closer to Kiba. The first thing Shikamaru noticed was how many people turned their heads when they noticed Kiba. The glares they received were unsettling.

"Resist the urge to glare back and keep moving." Shikamaru whispered to Kiba, seeing his eye twitch in annoyance.

Kiba grumbled something under his breath, but obeyed. Shikamaru's eyes counted how many people they passed, just in case they decided to try anything. They were almost on the other side of the little town, when several men blocked their path.

"Well, if it isn't the runt and his puppy." One of them snarled. "Oh look, he brought a new friend with him."

"I'll handle this." He muttered to Kiba, then raised his voice. "Is there a problem here?"

"We've got a bone to pick with you, runt." Another said to Kiba. "After you're little team came through here with Sazami, most all of us got arrested. Our bail cost us almost our life savings."

"You're life savings must've been very little, because you ain't worth shit." Kiba retorted. Shikamaru clocked him on the head. But the words had been heard, and now the men were angry.

"I told you to keep your mouth closed." Shikamaru hissed. "You're gonna get us killed this way!" He turned back to the men. "Excuse my companion here. He's an idiot. I'm sure it had nothing to do with him, so we'll be leaving now, and you'll probably never have to see us again."

They didn't budge. The one in front cracked his knuckles. "Nah... best to get our revenge the with our fists."

"See? You jinxed us." Shikamaru sighed. "Listen, gentlemen. Unless you want to get beat the crap out of by a couple of kids, step aside before I make you. I've run out of patience with you."

They made the first move. The leader charged at them with his fist ready. Shikamaru stuck out an arm to block Kiba from retaliating before he could hit them. He gave him a stern look as if to say 'stay put', and pulled out a kunai, blocking his fist with the sharp side. Before he could move away, Shikamaru kicked the man in the chest, knocking him back.

"Last chance." Shikamaru warned in a serious tone. Kiba looked at him with admiration. "Get lost, or lose your tough reputation."

"You think you have anything against us?" The leader said, standing back up. "We'll let you go; it's him we want."

Shikamaru sighed, and stepped in front of Kiba. "Over my dead body."

The men started chuckling, giving him looks like 'are you serious?' "Over you dead body it'll be, then." The leader sneered.

Kiba frowned. "I can defend myself, Shikamaru. You don't need to say things you'll regret."

He smirked at him over his shoulder. "Who said anything about regretting it?" And so, the battle began. Two kids against eight men twice their size. Shikamaru was battling with ease, as if they were the weakest foes he'd ever fought. Kiba was doing just as good, alongside Akamaru.

These men were too headstrong. They thought they knew what they were doing. Shikamaru was taking four at once. They tried attacking all at once, but Shikamaru used that chance to dodge all four fists and sweep their legs out from under them. He glanced over to see how Kiba was holding up.

Akamaru had blinded one of them by peeing in their eyes, and Kiba had his claws out, slashing at them mercilessly. Distracted a bit, wondering if he should assist Kiba or not, and wasn't paying attention as one of them grabbed his ankle and tripped him.

He landed on his back, and immediately kicked out at his attackers, kicking two of them in the chest, and one in the face. He tried to scramble back as the other pounced on him. Thinking quickly, he rolled to the right at the last second, then spun on his hands and kicked him back when he tried to attack again.

Glancing over at Kiba (having not learned his lesson), he noticed he was beginning to struggle against the remaining three he was against. _Time to end this._ He put his hands together and began his quick hand signs; dragon, tiger, rat, dragon, tiger, rat, dragon, tiger, rat.

Their shadows were easy targets, and he caught all eight of them like flies in a web. They all were forced to stop. Their shocked expressions encouraged a smirk onto Shikamaru's face. "It was fun while it lasted," He sighed, beginning to walk forward. "Goodbye."

Kiba let out a sigh of relief. "I was hoping you'd use that at some point."

"Don't think you're off the hook, Kiba." Shikamaru told them. "It would've taken us less time than this to go around the village. So now we're a bit behind, and thanks to you, these people hate us even more now. I really hope the others don't have to go through here anytime soon."

"No need to get all pissy." Kiba teased, nudging him playfully. "We're not _that_ behind. You just want an excuse to be mad at me."

"Thanks to your idiocy, I _always_ have a reason." Shikamaru pointed out, nudging him back.

Kiba laughed. "At least I don't waste hours staring at clouds."

"At least I don't smell like dog shit." Shikamaru retorted. Kiba fake gasped.

"How, dare you." He said, pretending to be offended. "How do you know what dog shit smells like?"

"I hang around you." Shikamaru shrugged. "You'd think you'd have put that together."

"Oh, shut up." Kiba growled.

Shikamaru chuckled. "Have I gotten on your nerves already?"

"You're a real pain, you know that?" Kiba grumbled.

"That's my line." Shikamaru replied, then sighed. "So troublesome."

"Ha, you know you couldn't dislike me if you tried."

"That's unfortunately true."

"Unfortunately?!"

"This is proof you don't have control over who your friends are."

"You're mean."


	3. Stealth Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team 8 and Team 10 have gotten together to do a round of stealth training. Kiba and Shikamaru are paired up, and Shikamaru ends up having to cover up Kiba's lack of stealthiness. A lot.

"Why are you holding my hand?" Shikamaru whispered. It was hard to see much, considering they were in a tree on a cloudy night, so he couldn't make out Kiba's expression. Though he could tell by the way he tensed that he was nervous about the question.

"I-it helps me focus to hold onto something, so get off my back!" Kiba hissed back. Shikamaru sighed. Always on the defensive, this one. It was really troublesome sometimes.

"Alright calm down and be quiet. They could be anywhere." Shikamaru reminded the dog boy. Akamaru whined quietly, and snuggled closer to Kiba. Lucky dog. He didn't have to worry about a thing at the moment. He could just snuggle up in someone's jacket and sleep. Shikamaru wished he could do that.

_N-not the snuggling into someone's jacket part, of course. Just sleep._ Shikamaru thought to himself. Kiba shifted uncomfortably, his grip on Shikamaru's hand tightening the tiniest bit. Shikamaru gave him a stern look with his eyes. Kiba returned the look by rolling his eyes, but stayed still.

Shikamaru surveyed the area, not moving a muscle. Asuma and Kurenai were the ones searching for them, but luckily, they were nowhere in sight. Shikamaru had come up with the possibility that they could also be hiding in the trees, approaching them from behind. His ears were pricked, and he could hear anything that seemed out of place. But the only thing that was out of place was the sound of Kiba shifting around.

He nudged him with his shoulder since they were already close, and gave him another, firmer look. Kiba scowled. "How long are we supposed to stay still? I'm starting to cramp up."

"The more you train to do it, the more your body'll get used to it, the less likely you'll be to get cramps. So bear with it for now with that in mind." Shikamaru retorted sharply. He knew the reason Kurenai and Asuma had paired them up; because they were opposites. They seemed like the types who would clash, and not be able to work together.

Made sense, considering one never knows who they'll be stuck with in a situation like this. Hinata was stuck with Chouji, and Ino was with Shino. Shikamaru was sure Shino would be able to keep the two hidden. He had very high tolerance, and as long as he didn't talk, Ino hopefully wouldn't speak either.

Chouji and Hinata though... Shikamaru knew Chouji would most likely be eating. He always ate during tense situations (and every minute of the day), so he might easily give away their hiding spot. Hinata was too shy and polite to say anything about it, so those two would probably be the first to get caught.

Shikamaru heaved a sigh. He just wanted this exercise to be over, but Asuma would give him one of those 'talks' if he just gave up and let himself get caught so he could go home. And that would be irritating and a waste of time. So he ultimately decided to put some effort into this. After all, it was an important lesson to learn, so best to learn it than get yelled at and have to do it again anyway.

Once again, he was snapped from his thoughts by Kiba shifting. Shikamaru's eye twitched slightly. "Can you just stay still for another five minutes, and then I promise we can move to somewhere less cramped."

"Am I irritating you?" Kiba asked, pretending to be hurt. "Me? Impossible."

"Shut it, this is seri-" Shikamaru put his free hand over his mouth to hide his snickering. The moonlight through the leaves revealed Kiba's fake puppy dog eyes. Which were hilarious because of the dopey and exaggerated pout on his lips.

"Now _you're_ the one who's putting us in jeopardy." Kiba teased, returning to his normal obnoxious triumphant grin. "Didn't know you even _could_ laugh."

"I'm still blaming you if we get caught." Shikamaru protested, then decided to stop talking and focus on calming down. He took a silent deep breath and returned to his natural calm composure. "Now stay. Still."

"Fine, fine. But just for those five minutes, right?" Kiba clarified.

"Nope, that ship has sailed. Should've just stayed still in the first place. Now you have to suffer for longer." Shikamaru replied, scoping out the area again. He was certain that Kurenai and Asuma hadn't even made it to this part of the forest yet, but he had nothing better to do than keep a look out.

Besides. even with his enhanced senses, Kiba wasn't any help. He was too busy not taking this seriously. Honestly, it was going to get him killed one day. _Fine. If he isn't going to put in the effort, I'll just have to cover for both of us._ Shikamaru frowned, then tensed when he heard a twig snap.

His eyes shifted to see Kurenai curse, and continue walking on the ground, looking around carefully, looking for anything in the trees. Kiba somehow hadn't noticed, and shifted in his spot. Shikamaru glared at him and tightened his grip on Kiba's hand painfully. Kiba winced, then noticed Kurenai.

She'd stopped, trying to figure out where the sound had come from. Luckily, Shikamaru had chosen a very well hidden place that looked like there were less leaves than there really were. On the outside, it seemed like it would be a terrible hiding spot. She'd never check there.

Shikamaru gave Kiba a stern look that could pierce someone's soul, meaning 'don't move'. Kiba immediately froze up, watching Kurenai's every movement. She was looking around, carefully scrutinizing the trees. Good thing she didn't have the Byakugan or Sharingan, or they'd be as good as dead.

Finally, she turned away, and started walking in the opposite direction. Kiba quietly exhaled. Shikamaru nudged him sharply, telling him not to let his guard down. _She almost noticed us because of you. You should be more careful if you want to stay alive. I won't always be around to protect you._

That thought annoyed the hell out of Shikamaru. He _wished_ he could always be around to protect Kiba- or any of his friends. Who _didn't_ wish that? It couldn't be helped though. The most Shikamaru could do was help him prepare for situations like this.

When Shikamaru was one hundred percent certain that she was gone, he spoke. "She'll be suspicious of this place now, thanks to you." He whispered. Kiba smiled sheepishly. "It's not funny. If this were real, you could put our lives at risk. We need to move."

"I know, I'm sorry." Kiba apologized. "Truth be told, I'm really nervous about this whole thing, because of how dark it is, so... yeah... you can make fun of me for being afraid of the dark."

Shikamaru slipped his hand out of Kiba's grip and put it on his shoulder. "Yes, that'll be an issue as a ninja, but there's no time like the present to train to get over it." He looked Kiba in the eyes. "You just need to learn to have more tolerance for these kinds of things, and use those senses of yours to see without using your eyes. You have a world of potential, you just have to work for it."

Kiba blinked at him in temporary shock, then smiled gratefully. "You got it. I'll try harder. Thank you." He nodded. Shikamaru looked away quickly. His stomach did a weird flip when Kiba smiled like that. 

"Yeah, whatever." Shikamaru grumbled. "Come on, we gotta move now. Follow my lead." He slowly inched towards the trunk of the tree, then slid down around it with as much ease as a snake. He then snuck quickly into a clump of bushes and disappeared. Kiba swallowed hard as Shikamaru gave him a signal to do the same.

Kiba wondered how Shikamaru was able to do that so easily. He had to climb down, taking a significantly longer time than Shikamaru to get to the new hiding place without a sound. 

When he settled comfortably next to Shikamaru, he heard him mutter, "Alright, off to a bad start."

That would normally irritate Kiba, but it didn't. Instead, he nudged Shikamaru playfully and smiled sarcastically at him. "Hey, we can't _all_ be perfect like you." He teased. He expected him to retort, but he looked away quickly, as if hiding something.

Shikamaru's stomach did that stupid cartwheel thing when Kiba said that. _He called me perfect._ His brain reminded him. "I'm far from perfect." He scoffed. Kiba snickered.

"We should focus on the task at hand." He pointed out. Shikamaru glared at him.

"Says the one who almost cost us said task." He retorted.

Kiba paused. "Touché."

They sat in a long silence while the crickets chirped away. It was a bit awkward; Kiba didn't like silence. But that was absolutely vital if they were going to succeed. So he'd just have to put up with it. For Shikamaru.

_For the mission_. Kiba corrected in his mind. But he couldn't help but feel around for Shikamaru's hand. When he felt it, Shikamaru tensed, then shivered.

"You're hands are cold." He whispered.

"Like your personality." Kiba teased. Shikamaru scoffed, but didn't respond. Kiba hoped he hadn't just said something stupid. "So, uh, how much longer is this going to take?"

"Keep talking, and it'll be shorter." Shikamaru sighed. Kiba fell silent, but kept his hand on top of Shikamaru's. After all, Shikamaru didn't seem to mind. And it helped Kiba focus on things other than how dark it was. He didn't feel safe alone.

But he wasn't alone, so he would be okay.

Another long silence passed between them, filled only by the chirping crickets and croaking toads. Kiba looked around carefully for any other movement. A scent hit his nose just before he heard careful footsteps approaching. He tapped his finger against Shikamaru's hand to get his attention. Shikamaru nodded curtly to show he noticed him too.

Asuma.

His footsteps were quiet, as to not alert anyone, but with Kiba's enhanced senses and Shikamaru's years of just listening to his surroundings, they could hear him loud and clear.

They were too close for comfort. Kiba slowly removed a kunai from his pouch. If he could have Asuma at his mercy, this'd all be over. Shikamaru grabbed his wrist and shook his head.

The two froze as Akamaru let out a rather loud whimper. Asuma's head turned in their direction. _Shitshitshitshitshit SHIT._ Shikamaru thought. He started digging around his pouch for a smoke bomb as Asuma approached the bush.

His fingers closed around the sphere just as Asuma was looming over the bush. He'd never looked so intimidating. Shikamaru immediately threw down the bomb, grabbed Kiba's wrist, and started sprinting as fast as he could in the opposite direction.

Now, Shikamaru knew that Asuma could out run them both, so he needed a hiding place. And fast. That smoke would only stick around for so long.

After finding a particularly average tree, Shikamaru pulled Kiba up the trunk and into the thickest part of the branches. His heart was beating too fast for his liking.

"Never thought it'd be that scary-"

"Shh!" Shikamaru cut Kiba off. Asuma knew they were here. He'd come looking for them. Shikamaru had never been too scared of anything. But being hunted at night by your mentor was as terrifying as if they were being chased by a serial killer.

The tense silence had Kiba on edge, especially considering a person was on their tail. And Shikamaru was very clearly not in the mood to talk. They had to hide after all, since Asuma now knew they were nearby.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!" Both Kiba and Shikamaru jumped at the blood-curdling shriek. They looked at each other, their hearts slamming against their chests loud enough for each other to hear.

"That had to have been Hinata." Kiba whispered.

"You're right. It was a little too high pitched to be Ino." Shikamaru agreed. "So that means she and Chouji are out of the game. But I doubt Shino and Ino have been caught yet. Ino would scream as well."

"Why do girls always scream?" Kiba groaned, then shivered. "Especially in such a tense situation. Are they trying to scare the crap out of us-" Shikamaru covered his mouth quickly, shoving him closer to the ground. Kiba assumed it could only mean one thing; Asuma was near.

The two looked through the leaves to see that Asuma was indeed standing there, looking around. _We're screwed!_ Was Kiba's first thought. Unless...

"I have a plan." Shikamaru muttered in Kiba's ear. "No time to explain, just follow my lead."

Without another word, Shikamaru darted from the bush, through Asuma's legs and hid in another bush in less time than it took for Asuma to turn around. He looked rather confused, glancing around a bit.

Kiba caught sight of a hand signal from Shikamaru, pointing him in a direction. Kiba took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing._ He threw himself forward and scrambled to another bush while Asuma was facing the other way. _What is it that we're doing?_

He caught Shikamaru's eye from another bush. He drew a star in the air, held up four fingers, then fiercely pointed down. Kiba guessed that was the pattern he was supposed to run in. _Okay... go in a star pattern four times, then escape down. But... won't he notice?_

It was a Shikamaru plan, so it probably meant that it would work. He just had to trust him. And he did. Unconditionally, for some reason. Kiba glanced over at Shikamaru, who was taking a running stance, preparing. He glanced at Kiba, held up a hand for him to wait.

After watching Asuma begin to walk towards one of the bushes near Shikamaru, he closed his hand into a fist and bolted from his hiding place. Kiba followed his orders.

They were going as fast as their legs could carry them, bolting from one hiding spot to another in a star pattern continuously. Kiba was extremely confused as to what this was going to accomplish, but Asuma looked even more confused and surprised.

Counting the fourth time, Kiba then bolted straight down from where he was and kept running. Shikamaru was nowhere in sight as he scrambled up a tree to hide. _Wait. Where's Shikamaru?!_

A hand covered Kiba's mouth muffling his scream, and Shikamaru poked his head out from behind Kiba. "Shh!" He shushed him, then scanned the area for any sight of Asuma. Kiba guessed he was nowhere near them when Shikamaru relaxed.

Kiba removed the hand from over his mouth. "So what did we just do?" He whispered. Shikamaru gave him a look that said are-you-an-idiot-or-just-oblivious? Kiba frowned in return.

"We confused him as to which direction we went. Hopefully, we were going fast enough that he couldn't track us. It was a gamble- he could've caught one of us if he caught on fast enough, but we were faster, thank the gods." Shikamaru explained.

"Wow." Kiba blinked at him in awe. "You're really smart!"

Shikamaru lowered his head, blushing a bit. "Not really. It was just the first tactic that came to mind. And I don't think I could've accomplished it without you." Kiba smiled brightly, making Shikamaru even more flustered. "N-not specifically you, just that I needed multiple people to pull it off. But, I-I'm glad that it was you, because some others might've been much slower."

"That might be the nicest thing you've ever said to me." Kiba grinned when Shikamaru hid his face in his hands.

"D-don't let it go to your head." He mumbled. "You're still one of the biggest idiots I know, so you need to keep your guard up. Because the last thing we need is for him to find us."

Kiba nodded. "I get it." He paused. "Wait, did you just call me an idiot-"

"Of course I did, Kiba." Shikamaru shrugged. "You are. Now be quiet and sit still."

Kiba grumbled something under his breath, but obeyed. He'd never admit it out loud but he was extremely grateful for Shikamaru. He kept him from doing stupid things, and kept him in line, but was still kind, in his own way.

He used to think of Shikamaru as nothing more than some lazy classmate. But as he'd grown to know him, he realized he was so much more than that. He was smart, and talented, and inspirational, and blunt, and handsome, and his smile was so pretty even though it was rare-

Shikamaru had to catch him before he fell from the tree. "Oi, try to keep your balance. You look like you've seen a ghost." He whispered, a hidden concern behind his irritated tone.

"J-just thought of something." Kiba dismissed sheepishly. Shikamaru gave him an 'oh, really?' look, as if telling him to go on. "U-um, what do you think of me?"

Shikamaru stared at him blankly for a moment, confused. "What do I... think of you?" He repeated. "Why do you care what I think? Since when does my opinion matter?"

"Why _wouldn't_ your opinion matter? I'm just curious, is all." Kiba shrugged. Shikamaru glowered for a moment. "Did I say something wrong? You don't have to answer if you think it'd be better not to-"

"I think you're a great shinobi." Shikamaru interrupted. Kiba blinked at him.

"R-really?"

"I don't want to inflate your ego or anything," Shikamaru continued quickly. "But I do believe you make a fine ninja. You're very skilled, and brave, and arrogant at times. If you have something you're determined to do, you'll stick to it; nothing can change your mind. Though you are reckless and stubborn, and not to mention headstrong. You don't think before you act, and your an oblivious idiot. And yet, despite all your flaws,- no, _thanks_ to all you flaws, you've become a strong individual, and I believe you're stronger than anyone gives you credit for."

Kiba's jaw had dropped towards the beginning of his articulation, completely speechless. Shikamaru looked up at him, and his face immediately went bright red.

"What?!" Shikamaru demanded in a sharp whisper. "You're the one who asked!"

"I just- wha- I- I didn't expect you to reply like that!" Kiba exclaimed, his voice a higher octave than usual. Shikamaru covered his mouth in a panic, shushing him quickly.

"Are you trying to give us away?!" Shikamaru hissed. "Quit being so loud! We're still trying to be stealthy!"

"Sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry..." Kiba scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Please just- never ask me question like that again." Shikamaru grumbled. "We have other things to focus on."

"Right." Kiba nodded. "Um." He glanced up at Shikamaru. "Do you really, uh, think I'm a great shinobi?"

"Not right now, definitely not." Shikamaru snapped. Kiba lowered his head, and decided to use his senses to look out for Asuma or Kurenai. _Maybe I was a little harsh, I should apologize._ Shikamaru thought to himself. He opened his mouth, but immediately closed it after. _He'll get over it. We should stay quiet. It's not like I affect anything in his life._

They were on the look out for the next several hours, surprisingly in silence. Both shinobi felt awkward and guilty during the entire thing, but managed not to speak. There was nothing to say. They just needed to stay out of sight for a while longer, and then they could go home.

Another scream, most definitely Ino, rang through the forest from close by. Both Shikamaru and Kiba tensed at the sound. It was chillingly close; within a mile radius, if Shikamaru calculated properly.

"That makes us the last ones." Kiba said finally. "Was this, like, a 'how long can you survive' type thing?"

"It's basically hide and seek." Shikamaru shrugged. "Either they find us, or they give up. Let's hope they give up soon, because it's almost morning." He pointed at the moon. "Most likely, they'll try coming up with one final attempt to corner us before giving up. So there _is_ a way for us to succeed."

"I probably would've been out a long time ago without you." Kiba laughed. "You know, if anyone's a great shinobi here, it's you."

"Just keep quiet and keep on your guard." Shikamaru growled. Kiba smiled a little, but remained quiet.

It was only another hour before the Jonin gave up.

Kurenai and Asuma looked a little annoyed as they walked through the forest together, with Ino, Hinata, Shino, and Chouji following.

"Kiba! Shikamaru!" The two were calling their names every ten seconds, and eventually, they reached Kiba's sharp ears.

He nudged Shikamaru. "They're calling our names. I think they've given up." He got no response. He nudged him again. "Hey, Shikamaru." This time when he nudged him, Shikamaru slumped against him.

Upon closer inspection, Shikamaru was, in fact, asleep. _Hah?! Cheater!_ Kiba thought, nudging Shikamaru a little harder.

"Oi! Shikamaru, wake up!" Shikamaru let out a content sigh, and blinked awake.

"Eh?" He sat upright, and nearly fell over on the narrow branch, but caught himself. "...When did I even drift off?" Kiba stifled a snicker.

"I don't know, but they've given up." He informed him. "We survived."

Shikamaru rubbed his eyes sleepily. "See? All you had to do was-" He cut off, yawning. "-was stay still and silent."

Kiba slid out of the tree, and onto the ground. Shikamaru followed. He landed beside Kiba, his legs almost giving out beneath him, before he grabbed onto Kiba's shoulders to steady himself.

"Sorry." He mumbled, giving Kiba space. He looked rather drowsy, barely managing to stand. Kiba smiled a little at the sight.

"Nah, don't worry about it." Kiba dismissed. "Just lean on me. It's alright. After all, your the one who did all the work."

Shikamaru didn't hesitate to slump against the other boy. "Normally, I'd never do this." He mumbled. "So this is a one time thing. Because I'm too tired."

Kiba put an arm around Shikamaru's waist to keep him standing, not even realizing what it would look like to the others.

Not until they came into view, and Ino immediately burst out laughing. It took the others a moment to register the sight before them. Kurenai and Asuma smiled a little.

"Well, looks like you two are our winners for the night." Asuma said. "Maybe you're a better team than I gave you credit for." He added with a suggestive tone.

Kiba blinked at him, confused. "Well, I didn't do much outside of being the opposite of stealthy. I'm kinda the reason you kept almost catching us." He laughed. "Shikamaru did all the real work, keeping us hidden and all that. So, I don't really deserve much credit."

"Aww... you two are so cute." Kurenai teased. Kiba flushed red.

"D-don't make it sound weird!" He protested. "The only reason I'm holding him like this is because he's tired!"

"Are you sure it's nothing more?" Ino said after regaining her composure.

"Yes!" He paused, then lowered his voice. "I mean, yes. Now, are we done here? I have a sleeping person leaning on me, and I'd rather him not end up falling over."

"Alright, we'll leave you two lovebirds alone." Shino said simply.

"Wah- Shino!" Kiba sputtered. "You're supposed to be on _my_ side!"

"W-well, Kiba..." Hinata started. "You _are_ holding him l-like one would someone close, s-so, it does kinda look misleading..."

"Oh, so are you saying you want Naruto to hold _you_ this way?" Kiba retorted. Her face became red the moment Naruto's name was mentioned. "Now enough for tonight, we're tired, and have all day tomorrow to talk about our endeavors tonight." He paused. "Oh, and why is it that the girls always have to scream like that? You sound like you're being murdered!"

"Yeah, you got Kiba here all rattled." Everyone's attention shifted back to Shikamaru, who had apparently only regained consciousness for a small period of time before falling back to sleep. "And I had to deal with it."

"Oh, you're one to talk about 'dealing with it'. You were asleep for this past hour." Kiba looked up at the moon. "I think."

"And you didn't even notice." Shikamaru pointed out. He stepped back away from Kiba and stretched. "Well, I'm heading home. See you tomorrow."

"You can't just use me as a pillow and walk off like nothing happened!" Kiba protested.

"You're the one who offered." Shikamaru pointed out, continuing to walk.

"Because I thought you would collapse otherwise!" Kiba shouted in return.

"At the time, I would've." Shikamaru shrugged. He paused, and glanced over his shoulder. "So thanks."

Kiba flipped him off as he walked away, not noticing a thing. He then crossed his arms and started muttering under his breath. Asuma and Kurenai exchanged a knowing look, while the kids all started heading home as well.

They knew something that Kiba didn't. They knew something _Shikamaru_ didn't.

For once.


End file.
